


Summer Skies

by lervoids



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Coming Out, Eventual Fluff, Gay Mike Wheeler, Gay Will Byers, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Slow Burn, these bitches oblivious as fuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21843721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lervoids/pseuds/lervoids
Summary: In a world where soulmates exist, in which the person you are destined to spend infinity with is determined by every individual trait belonging to a person, fitting just right with those of another... Mike and Will are tied together by a force unmatchable.The first ever thing to hold sentimental value, that is gifted to a person from their soulmate, will be etched onto a patch of their skin before the day they are even born. A meaningful object, a heartfelt letter, could be anything up to a scribbled drawing. This mark, this is not to be shown to anyone else, for when you know your soulmate; you know.But of course, as it turns out, things are not so simple for two young boys living in Hawkins, in the year of 1987.
Relationships: Will Byers & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62





	1. Prologue

Winter was coming to its end; the snow had melted into the soil and life was returning to the trees of Hawkins. However, in a town so dim, the sun was yet to return to the sky and shine down rays of gold upon the people, these children, playing games within the gates of their kindergarten.

Alone he sat, the small boy with a mop of brown hair. He swayed softly along with the gentle breeze, his legs dangling from the old, timeworn swing. It wasn’t an irregular occurrence for him, being all by himself on this very playground. Though this didn’t make it any less torturous. For days, weeks and months on end he worked a great deal towards the goal of finally finding a friend. It never worked. Not until this grey and cloudy day.

It was Mike Wheelers first day at a new kindergarten, and as an ambitious young boy, he was awfully determined to make a friend. He made no time for a lengthy and emotional goodbye to his parents and made straight for the door that lead into the outside world.

His eyes eagerly scanned the wide yard, practically blind to the selection of toys and games to play, while he searched for someone to approach and befriend. He was quite soon infatuated with a short girl, blond piggy tails and a stripy pink dress. But, as he began to walk towards her… His eyes flitted up only for a moment, and that’s when he saw him.

Will Byers, sitting on the swings, all alone. 

At this, he couldn’t help but feel great sadness for the small child, just swinging all by himself. So, he did what anyone should do, what all these other kids playing amongst each other should have done too. He went up to him, and he asked.

He asked if he would be Mike Wheelers friend.

With a sudden jolt of his head, their eyes locked, and Mike couldn’t do anything but smile.

“Are you sure?” Will asked. 

“Positively.”

“Then… Of course!”

Mike immediately jumped into the empty swing, launching himself into the cool air. 

After playtime outside was rendered complete, the group of children were guided inside to peacefully sit at the miniature tables, drawing, painting, and moulding what they wish. While majority were enthusiastic to experiment with something more ‘complex’, Will was certain to sick with his beloved coloured pencils.

Which, curious as he was, Mike couldn’t help but question, “Hey Will, so like… Why, why are you using pencils to draw when there’s much cooler things to use now?”

The other boy was worried to answer the question, what if he had judged him? Then he’d lose his newfound best friend terribly soon. But, at the hands of his artistic passion, his answer slipped out before too much further thought on the matter was allowed, “Well, I don’t know. I like to draw. It’s my favourite thing to do.”

“Oh, well, that’s cool!” 

“Yeah?” He simply couldn’t believe the boys response.

“Yes! That’s different… It’s awesome, you should totally draw me something!”

Will’s eyes felt like they doubled in size, and he wanted oh so bad to deny the other boys request, but that felt so wrong. It felt like his heart would turn itself inside out and his brain would melt into his skull if he didn’t do it. It was like, an unknown force, doing everything in its power to make sure that Will drew something for his new friend.

And so, he did.

The following day, Mike was gifted the most beautiful piece of art his eyes had ever seen. A blue dragon, laid sleeping on the edge of a mossy cliff, his tail hanging over the rocky side. 

This very drawing, it remained pinned to a wall of the Wheelers basement for years to come, as a collection built itself around it, as he was only gifted more and more. After too long, he had to decide on his favourites, to make room. Many were slipped into the clear page slips of a binder, while a select few sat proudly on the wall, all surrounding a blue dragon in a deep slumber. 

At the age of ten, not too long before his treasured best friend is stolen from his own life to suffer in the upside down, Mike makes the connection. He’s old enough to realise now, what this meant.

As everyone began to learn about romantic attraction, and more importantly the significance of the mark on their bodies and the tie it has to the one they were destined to love… He discovers something he wish he didn’t, something he could have thrown in a box, locked it tight, thrown away the key and sunk into the deepest depths of the ocean. 

But instead, all he could do was hide the faded, crumpled paper in the bottom of his bedside drawer. Pretend it never existed. Because it didn’t.

It never did, and it never would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!! ur probably here either from my editing account on insta, or my stan account on twitter. and, well, if not... HEY! welcome to me being sad about byler and therefore writing an entire ass fic about it... i apologise for how mediocre it is, this is my first time writing fanfiction (besides, the magcon, o2l, shawn mendes etc shit that i wrote in 2015 on wattpad... i like not to think about that) so i hope i do well enough now!! please enjoy, any tags will be added whenever something new is added to my plot outline :)


	2. One

To most people, this cool Saturday afternoon would be considered as normal as any other. But to Will Byers, as he lays under the protective cover of his blanket with his face glued to his pillow, this afternoon was painfully not so normal. 

It was a slow, tedious even, journey. Not just a simple path, but instead, a winding road going over far too many hills with an obstacle standing in the way at every other step, and shortcuts that took him back to square one, opportunities to move five steps ahead only to be buried in the dirt and stuck for days to come. Then, it would begin again.

So, you wouldn’t think something so heavy would hit someone so suddenly, something so important would occur to a person so out of the blue. Like it had been pulled from thin air. But nevertheless, the unexpected continues to happen to fifteen year old will. 

Halfway through his sophomore year, that’s when it hit him. Like a truck.

He was in love with Michael Wheeler.

Many would like to believe, that this would be a joyful realisation, but that would be very, incredibly wrong.

Will knew, he knew Mike was in a loving relationship with El. Eleven, Mike’s soulmate. The one who was made to love the boy that he oh so desperately does, and that very boy in return. That alone, it was enough to destroy him. Of course, the list must continue.

Will sits in silence, and thinks, that he could fill an entire one of his tattered journals with reasons why this realisation was so… So, unexpected, yet unsurprising, and most importantly unwanted. And still have an infinite number of words to put into many, many more.

For heaven’s sake, Mike was a boy! Will had always known there was something different about himself, and he’d in time learnt to expect that, but never in a million years did he ever think this would be where he ended up. But then, he wonders, if maybe (most likely) he had known all along, and shamefully buried it to the deepest nooks of his mind. Whatever it was, it wasn’t normal… Right? He remembers the countless times he was told so, by his father, by classmates at school, anyone who could get a word in, really. It had been so strictly forced into his mind he believes it could leave a physical scar, that women and men are made for each other. You’ll find your soulmate one day, a lovely girl to cherish, and to marry. A lovely girl.

A lovely girl.

What could be so wrong if he- or another boy, were to love a boy? If their soulmark dictated so, what would be so wrong if they were to follow what their heart was made to desire? Nothing. Was what he decided, absolutely nothing.

Only this wouldn’t work in the favour of young Will. For Mike? He simply wasn’t his soulmate. Will was sure. They had been friends for over a decade, an entire ten years and more. And nothing to match the stupid, stupid mark just below his collarbone? There was no way, after all that time, something to show for his deepest of wishes wouldn’t have occurred. Besides, he was quite convinced Mike would hate him forever if they were soulmates. Which, they weren’t. El was his soulmate, not Will. And Mike wasn’t Wills. So why on earth couldn’t Will stop the thoughts that bounced around the walls of his mind and the flapping of dainty wings in his stomach, the uncontrollable smile plastered onto his face that would follow?

Nothing had ever been so incredibly frustrating in his life.

With his face buried in the softness of his, now damp, pillow, Will makes a decision. Well, he tells himself he’s making a decision. He promises himself, he’ll push this incredible realisation to the back of his mind, and never let it back out.

That only lasts about a minute, though, when that very decision, is immediately thrown out the window at the sound of the phone ringing a few rooms over.

He’d like to say he walked, calmly, towards the noise. Really, he ran; sprinted, even, like his life depended on it. As if he hadn’t just seen Mike (and the party, obviously, them too. Yeah.) just the day before, at school. But things were getting stressful there, being sophomores, with a heftier workload then ever before. That, certainly, was reason enough for Wills eagerness to see Mike- the party… At least, that’s what he could convince himself of before. Before… Today.

Now he knew, simple as it was, all he wanted was to see Mike again. No matter how soon from the last time. He wanted to see him again, in all that he is. Fluffy brown hair, soft freckled cheeks, wide eyes and toothy grin. All 6 feet of him, the lanky boy with his button up shirts and dirty shoes. Feel the warmth of his presence and, whatever it is he felt at the briefest of their hugs or shortest of his looks.

He wanted to see him again, desperately, even if it meant it was with all the party. With El.

It’s not like he hated El, obviously. He could never, she helped save him, and all of them, on multiple occasions. He admired her, really. Incredibly strong, and brave, and deserving of all the love the world holds.

But does that make it any less painful that Mike loves El, that they’re soulmates, instead of, well, him? No.

Not one bit.

But alas, he rushes to the phone, and yanks it off its holder in a matter of seconds, smiling brightly at the sound of Mike’s voice saying “Hey!”

“Hey Mike” 

“Will… You still up for tonight with… With the party- to uh… To watch movies, at mine, in the uh… the basement… Yeah?”

Will could practically see Mikes awkward face, him scratching the back of his neck like he was doing something extraordinary. As if he wasn’t simply asking his best friend of over a decade to come over, like they do routinely. Almost every Saturday night without fail.

“You idiot,” he laughs “of course I’m still up for tonight! What do you take me for?”

The boy on the other end exhales, “Nothing. Nothing bad, I mean. Of course, you’re up for tonight. I’ll see you then, man”

“5 O’clock, like always?”

“Like always.”

“Cool, see you then.”

“See you then.”

He hangs the phone back up, and goes back to his room, smiling like a child in a candy store.

He throws himself back onto his bed, smiling towards the ceiling.

The smile slowly turns to a frown, as the euphoric aftermath of nothing but a conversation with Mike, wears off, and Will remembers the decision, the promise he had just made to himself only moments ago.

How on earth could he push something so incredibly shocking and all-consuming as this, to the back of his mind? And then leave it there?! There was no way.

So instead he decides, that yes, the unrequited feelings aren’t so easy to push away, to simply not think of. But he can at least ignore them… Right? What could be so difficult to ignore? It’s just a few inexplainable thoughts, and feelings, after all. Right?

Will Bids a quick goodbye to his Mom with a hug, and kiss on the cheek, before heading down the long driveway on his bike, straight towards town.

Following the familiar track to the Wheeler’s home is easy, and he makes it there in no time.

After all the years they’ve known each other, Will still knocks at the front door, awaiting his welcome. Things are still rough around the edges after their… Fight? Their stupid argument about bloody Dungeons & Dragons. They never really spoke about it all, the one phrase in particular that stuck out like a sore thumb. And that was fine, Will didn’t want to. He doesn’t think he could handle it, really.

He’s snatched from his thoughts as the door opens and he’s stood face to face with Max. His favourite fiery redhead (regardless of the fact that he knows no others) smiling at him, pulling him in for a hug and greeting him, pulling him inside to join the party.

They make their way to the kitchen, and everyone is crowded into the space together arguing over trivial things like how many cans they’d need (no one wanted to go up and get more, but also didn’t want any to go flat) and what flavour chips do they need? They simply can’t just bring them all.

Will stands in the doorway, watching the ball of chaos continue on in their childish arguments.

Final decisions are made, everyone’s happy, and they make their way down the stairs to the basement.

Sleeping bags are already set out, and everyone gets comfortable. Mike and El cuddle up together on the couch, of course. While the rest lay down on the floor, with their head rested on the pillows. Dustin and Will, without their “special someones”, while the two couples cheesily snuggle up to each other like they always do. At least Dustin had Suzie, and even if he didn’t, Will selfishly thinks that at least he isn’t suffering like Will is.

At least he likes girls.

Will Shrugs the negative thought away, wanting to bask in the glory of the presence of his friends, and of his best friend, mike. Even if he’s sat far away, with El.

“So… El wanted to watch Sixteen Candles tonight… That okay with you guys? Mom got it on VHS just the other day an-“ Mike was cut short by Max, “Of course! It’s a really good film El, I’m sure you’ll love it.”

Lucas groaned exaggeratedly at Max, provoking a very grumpy look on her face.

“It’s a good movie Lucas! El wants to watch it, I want to watch it, let us watch a romance film for once! Pleaseeeeee…”

“Yeah Lucas, pleaseeeee” El repeated, hoping to guilt the poor boy into sitting through a solid hour and a half of pure high school stupidity and teenagers and love and ugh.

He lets out a final huff, agreeing “Fine. Whatever.”

“I think it’s good! I’m fine with it,” Dustin says, joining the majority.

Mike agrees, nodding his head before turning to look at Will “That cool with you too, dude?”

Will nods in return, he’s not particularly excited for it, but he doesn’t have anything against it, so why not?

“You sure?” Max checks.

“Yeah, yeah. Of course. Whatever you guys want, I’m happy with.”

“You’re a saint,” Max replies, getting up and taking the VHS from Mikes grip, slipping it into the player.

The film is bearable, Will would even say enjoyable. His opinion is probably a tad biased, being placed in the position where the happy couples are all snuggled up together while him and Dustin are sat alone. Even more though, Mike and El.

He hates it, he really does. Being so incredibly aggravated by the simplest of affectionate acts exchanged between the two, and he’s tried everything to change it, but somehow that only makes it worse.

At least he can ignore it. He does his absolute best to ignore it. He does, until the movie ends, and everyone is suddenly wrapped up in deep conversation.

Conversation about love. About soulmates.

Will suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe, his chest started to tighten and his throat was closed off and very quickly it felt like he was drowning, tears pricking his eyes before he finally forces himself to move, throwing the blanket off of his legs and running straight to the stairs.

He hadn’t even heard much of the conversation, not bothering to focus too much on something he was anything but enthralled by. He certainly was not enthralled by conversation about soulmates, not until the topic of Mike and El being perfect soulmates came about.

Mike and El being perfect soulmates.

Mike and El.

Mike and El.

Mike AND El.

It’s like they were joined at the hip, practically inseparable since the day they were reunited, but they weren’t even their own people anymore! He couldn’t handle it!

He just wished he’d never realised his… Feelings, for Mike. Or that him and El just weren’t soulmates. Something, ANYTHING, that would take away the pain he felt in that moment. And all the time’s before, when he saw them together or heard those words. Because it hurt, it hurt so bad. It was a different kind of pain, than being trapped in the upside down, or being possessed by the fucking mind flayer! Or the hateful words thrown at him his entire life. This was so different, so fucking different.

He couldn’t escape this. He couldn’t run away. He was trapped inside his own skin, with these feelings and these thoughts stuck to him like glue, for no one but him to deal with. It made him feel claustrophobic, like he was stuck. There was no way out. He was literally stuck. Inside his own skin, his own body, his own mind. Trapped with his thoughts and these feelings. He was stuck. Stuck. And he was spiralling. Hard.

Since when was he sat on the kitchen floor, wrapped in a ball, face buried in his clothed knees, letting out choked sobs in between struggled breathing?

He heard loud footsteps, head flying up to see none other than Mike. Michael Wheeler. Standing before him, with a worried expression painted onto his face, ridiculously oblivious to what Will was so upset about.

He rushes towards Will, placing a hand on each of his shoulders, smoothing down the non-existent creases in the striped material.

He doesn’t say much, but continues to comfortingly stroke the panicking boys arms, holding him close and whispering, “You’re okay,” over and over.

It takes a while, but Will eventually comes down, relaxing into his- Mike’s arms.

Mike pulls away, sitting beside Will, backs against the hard surface of the cabinet.

They sit awkwardly, both waiting for the other to talk.

But Mike knows he has to say something. “Will… Are you okay? What happened? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I just want to check that you’re okay-“

Will lets out a sour laugh, “Jesus, Mike, stop rambling. I’m fine. Just got worked up for… Some reason. I don’t know.”

“Are you sure?”

Will lets his gaze lift towards Mikes face, nodding “Yeah, course.”

“So… Nothing to do with, soulmates, then?”

Fuck, Mike could read him like an open book. Why couldn’t literally anyone else have followed him up here? He could at least tell a little white lie to any of the others. But not to Mike, he may not always say something about it, but he knows he’d see right through it.

He makes a noise in annoyance, “I mean, maybe.”

That’s not so bad to admit out loud to the boy he- to- well, Mike. The boy he loves, is in love with… Right? He never specified anything.

“What’s up?”

“I can’t explain it. I’m sorry.” He says, as if he doesn’t understand his reaction to what happened downstairs perfectly, now.

“I get it.”

“What? You do?” How on earth could Mike get it? He had no idea what Will was even thinking. There’s no way he’d know. He’s got El. What is he even talking about?

“Thinking you’ll never have a soulmate, it sucks”

Oh.

“I get it, I do,” Will stays silent, head completely empty, unable to produce an appropriate response, “…I was so terrified, seeing everyone in the movies, and out on the street, and Nancy and Jonathon, especially.”

Will smiles gently at the mention of his older brother, away studying hard at college with his girlfriend, his soulmate. He’s happy for him.

“Then, I met El.” There it was, ripping him from that one happy little thought, “But I lost her, and it was… I can’t even put it into words, I couldn’t bare it. Then she came back, and despite her soulmark… Being burned off by that fucking sociopath at the lab, I know mine is connected to her, we both do. We found our soulmates. And you will too, Will.”

Will couldn’t process a single thought. What the fuck, Mike. What the fuck! He can’t sit here and listen to this, he just can’t.

Wait a second. “Mike, oh my god you can’t just tell me that!”

Mike was clueless, “What?”

“About El’s soulmark being… yeah. You know we can’t talk about our soulmarks to anyone but- our soulmates.”

“Oh, Shit.” He screws his eyes shuts, lifting his hand to scratch the back of his head in thought, like he always does, “It’s fine. I trust you.”

Above anything else, that means more than words can explain to Will, and he tries his best to ignore the other parts of the conversation. He tries his best to push it to the back of his mind as he cleans himself up, brushing off his pants and washing his tear stained face as best he can at the kitchen sink, nodding awkwardly at Mike before going back down the stairs. He tries to ignore it, as he says goodbye to the party, explaining that he doesn’t feel too well and should probably turn in before it gets too late, despite their persistent attempts to convince him to stay.

He tries to ignore it, he tries to push it away, he really does. And he manages, for a while. But once the Wheeler’s home is out of sight, and he’s alone, pedalling himself back home, the tears come back, with no means of giving up.

So here he is, tears streaming down his cheeks, all over Mike Fucking Wheeler.

The boy he can never have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this wasn't beta read or whatever its called, idk the lingo, im not a writer. i hope its worthy tho, i still edited it! enjoy lovelies :)


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